Family Legal Services Report - TLA responds to Request for Feedback

Justice Bonkalo released her Family Legal Services Report in March. That was followed by a request for feedback by the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Law Society. Their deadline is May 15.Recommendations 4 and 5 of the Bonkalo Report suggest the expansion of paralegal practice with a specialized licence to act in matters of child custody & access, child support, restraining orders, and enforcement up to, but not at, a trial, as well as simple divorce.

TLA has been part of a group of family law associations responding to her report with a common voice in opposition to such expansion. TLA's own responding document is available here.A group of lawyers has put forward a motion for hearing at the Law Society AGM on May 10. Groups of interested lawyers supporting the motion and against Justice Bonkalo's recommendations as presented, are arranging to be at the AGM to speak to the motion. There will likely be paralegals at the meeting speaking in support of Justice Bonkalo's report and against the motion.Any TLA member interested in family law is encouraged to attend and be identified as a TLA member.

The TLA president, and most presidents of law associations around the province, will not be able to attend as the LSUC AGM falls during the FOLA (Federation of Ontario Law Associations) Plenary which is being held in Ottawa at the same time.